Ore-separator.



G. W. FISHER.

ORE SBPARATOR. n LPIPLIOATION FILED un 1, 1912.

1,061,830. Patenta May 13, 1913.

COLUMNA PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

GEORGE w. FISHER' 0E TAcoiviA, WASHINGTON, H. TUCKER AND ONE-THIRD To CHARLES WASHINGTON.

ASSIGNOR F ONE-THIRD TO ERNEST W. WACKERSHAUSER, BOTH 0F TACOMA,

ORE-SEPARATOR.

To all fui/wm t may concern:

Be it known thatI, GEORGE W. FisHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and Statel and has for an object to provide a separator for separating metallic particles and especially gold in dry, fiaked or granular form from sand or other physical mixtures.

A further object of the invention is to provide a separator having improved means for withdrawing the light flaked particles of metal from the heavier particles of sand and with further means for catching and retaining the heavier particles of metal which are not `withdrawn from the sand by the rst step of the operation.

A further vobject of the invention is to provide a structure for exposing the comL bined sand and metallic particles to an induced draft of air to withdraw the lighter metallic particles and a further exposing of the metallic particles and sand to surfaces coated with an amalgamating substance.

With these and other objects in View the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings the gure is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the improved separator.

The improved separator which forms the subject matter of this application comprises a housing 10 of any approved construction having upon its top a hopper 11 into which the commingled metallic and sand particles are inserted to be acted upon. Within the hopper l1 a feed roller 12 is carried upon a shaft 13 and operated by a sprocket chain 14v which passes over a sprocket l5 carried upon a shaft 16 and actuated by any approved means of applying motive power, as a crank.

The material which is preferably em-A ployed in the present separator is a physical commingling of gold and sand. As the ma- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1913.

Application filed May 1, 1912. Serial N o. 694,431.

terial is fed by the roller l2 it falls upon a series of baflle plates 18, 19 and 20 which are separated by apertures through which a draft of air isinduced by a fan 21. The fan 2l is `mounted upon a shaft 22 and within a housing 23 such housing communicating with the' housing l() by means of passages 24.` The air current induced by the rotation of the fan 2l passing between the baie plates and through the passages 24 is discharged through a conduit 25 into a casing 26 which is provided with a conical receiving member 27 and at its apex communicating with a receptacle 28. The gold contained in the sand in light or flake form is acted upon by the induced draft of the air and is carried through the conduit 25 and discharged inally into the receptacle 28. Certain particles of the gold contained in the sand are however of such formation as to not be acted upon by the induced current and such particles, together with the sand are discharged from the baile plates upon the hopper bottom 29 within the housing.

Immediately below the hopper bottom 29 a drum 30 is mounted to rotate, such drum being covered with a sheet of copper andV the copper coated with a coating of Inercury, which when it engages the gold contained in the sand amalgamates and retains the same. The drum is rotated also by the sprocket chain 14 and discharges the sand with such particles of gold as are not yet separated therefrom upon a copper plate 3l, such pla-te being also coated with mercury to further act upon the gold particles found within the sand and to amalgamate and retain the same. is given a reciprocatory and shaking action by means of pitmen 32 actuated by crank arms 33 carried upon a shaft 34 which in turn is driven by a pinion 35 intergeared with the gear 86carried upon the shaft 16. It will be apparent therefore that as material is fed into the hopper and the mechanism actuated by applying power thereto inrany approved manner, as by the crank 17, the material will rst be fed from the hopper to drop in front of the air spaces through which a current of air is induced by the fan 21 and on to the baifle plates 18 and 19. As before described, the induced current will carry from the sand the light formation of gold or metals contained there- The copper plate 31 in and deposit the same in the receptacle 28, while the heavier particles will :tall upon the hopper bottom 29 and be fed upon the mercury covered roller 30 and mercury 5 covered plate 81 and have the further particles of metal amalgamated by said roller and retained upon either the roller or plate. The sand which is not acted upon by the mercury will be discharged over the end of 10 the shaking plate 3l and the amalgamated values will be removed from the plate and drum in the usual manner.

I claim The combination of a separating chamber, means for passing a current of air transversely through said chamber, means for feeding ore into said chamber across the current of air, said chamber having a discharge opening in its bottom below the feed means, an amalgamated cylinder below and substantially closing said opening, and means for rotating said cylinder.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. FISHER.

Witnesses:

M. F. MCNEIL, G. Down MGQUESTEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti, Washington, D. C. 

